The long way home
When I was little, I was obsessed with the idea of owning a dog. I begged my parents relentlessly for years and years for a puppy. Every Christmas and every birthday, a dog was always at the top of my list. Christmas morning, when I was 8 years old, I walked into the kitchen and saw dog toys and a dog bowl on our tile floor and burst into tears. I was so overwhelmed with excitement and searching frantically for my puppy, asking where he was. “Well, we are giving you the promise of a puppy. You still have to show us you can be responsible first, but we promise that you will eventually get a puppy. Isn’t that exciting?!” ……no. I can’t play fetch with a promise, guys. The initial excitement soon wore off, but I held onto that promise and spent the next two years subscribing to Dog Fancy magazine and studying up on what exact breed would be a perfect match for our family. Almost daily, I would ask if we could go look at puppies or if this would be the week we could go get one. And finally, FINALLY, I got my promised puppy and all of the waiting seemed so worth it.
4 years ago, when I left Nicaragua, the Lord promised me he was going to bring me back. He asked me to be patient so He could prepare me for greater things. He asked me to trust in His promises of healing, while He broke me in the best of ways and reset my broken bones to hold greater weight. He asked me to trust in His guidance and follow Him blindly into the unknown, all the while whispering the promise of home into my heart. For 4 years I have lived with all of my earthly belongings in a suitcase. I have never stayed in the same place for longer than 6 months. He has brought me to prisons in Thailand, orphanages in Cambodia, and the slums of South Africa. He has given me family in complete strangers and shown me His overflowing love on mountain tops. And it seemed, somehow, that the less I carried on my back and the more baggage I gave to Him, more room was made for Him to show me hidden places of my soul that I didn’t even know existed. “Unclench your hand and take Mine”, He said. And when I did, He took me on a journey that transformed me in the best of ways. He promised home, but wanted to take me on more of a scenic route. I am forever changed because of it. And now, after years of pit stops, I can see my familiar front door on my colorful little street. Home. Promise.
If you follow me at all on social media, you know that I am mildly obsessed with two little boys named Kevin and Julio. I’ve known them since they were tiny and the two of them together could have their own television show with the crazy things they get into. They’re zany and weird and hilarious. When I come home to visit, I try and make it a point to have them over for a fun little day. My past trip home, the two of them spent the night at my house. It seemed like every few minutes they were saying, “Ana we’re hungry”, even if they had just eaten. Kevin and Julio live in the poorest part of Granada. They both come from homes run by single, struggling mothers. They both understand hunger and know that when they’re with “Yennifer” or “Ana”, they’ll be fed, because it brings us deep gladness to know that their little bellies are full.
The guys on my street in Granada have become my dearest friends. One night, Omar was wandering around, drunk. We sat on my porch and talked. I invited him in for some food and a quick game of ping pong. I cried with him while we talked about his struggles, and hurt. And nothing brings me more profound joy than to see the Lord break down my brother’s walls bit by bit. Omar is going to be freed and he is going to bring freedom to others, I have zero doubt in my mind about that. These men, my brothers, YOUR brothers, are the beginning of a huge revival coming for Granada. Just wait.
“The place God calls us to is the place where your deepest gladness and the world’s deepest hunger meet”. -Fredrick Beuchner
It is my deepest gladness getting to live life with my brothers and sisters in Nicaragua and Julio, Kevin, and Omar are just a few examples of the world’s deep hunger. I take great comfort knowing that the Lord has saved all of the tears from my past in order to help water a garden of revival in these streets. I’m honored to let Him use me and to know that He loved me enough to prepare my heart for “such a time as this”.
I’m overwhelmed with joy and gratitude to be moving back to serve in Granada with the REAP ministry, through AIM. It’s such a beautiful and sweet thing to not only be going back to where it all began, but to also get to work alongside my parents. God is so good and I am SO excited!!!
SUPPORT!
I am currently in need of about $25,000, before I can go back onto the mission field. I would be so grateful if you would partner with me on this journey! You can donate by clicking the “SUPPORT ME!” button on my page and become a one time, or monthly donor.
PLEASE if you want to know more or have any questions for me, or even if you just feel like getting coffee or catching up, you can call or message me directly and I would love to talk to you!
